Tampabay: Morton, Mease hospitals plan merger

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Morton, Mease hospitals plan merger

The hospitals already have a partnership but say they could save millions more if they are allowed to merge.

By LISA GREENE
Published April 14, 2005

Morton Plant Hospital and the two Mease Hospitals will apply next week to merge into one organization, hospital executives said Thursday.

The three hospitals already have a partnership agreement, and cooperate in some areas, but the U.S. Department of Justice doesn't allow them to work together in strategic planning, purchasing and other areas because of anti-trust concerns.

"The partnership is not workable," said Bruce Fyfe, chairman of the boards of both Morton Plant Hospital and Morton Plant Mease Health Care. "If we don't merge, it won't be in the best interest of our community."

The hospitals saved more than $85-million in the five years after forming the partnership in 1994, said Phil Beauchamp, president and CEO of Morton Plant Hospital and Morton Plant Mease Health Care.

Hospital officials believe they could save millions more if they were allowed to merge. They don't know exactly how much, Beauchamp said, because they're not allowed to work out a detailed plan.